LIFE WITH KIDS: Make a walk an adventure

Taylor Head Provincial Park is among one of the many hiking destinations suggested in the book Earth Adventures in the Halifax region, produced by the Adventure Earth Centre. (FRANCES WILLICK)

A reader recently wrote to ask me for ideas on where to take his visiting grandson to play. His criteria were (a) outdoors and (b) inexpensive. He suggested it might be good to share some of my family’s favourite spots with other readers, so here goes.

It’s not hard to come up with a good adventure in Nova Scotia, as long as the weather co-operates. I’m writing this on a day I could see my breath at the bus stop, but I’m holding out hope that warmer spring and summer days are coming and we will all want to explore outdoors again.

The first thing I recommend for anyone living in or near Halifax is finding a copy of the book Earth Adventures in the Halifax Region, produced by the Adventure Earth Centre.

The book has guides on 24 trails within day-trip distance of the city, ranging from Hemlock Ravine to as far afield as Taylor Head Provincial Park. Each trail has its own theme, with activities to try and clues to seek out along the way. These added bonuses lift an outing from an average walk in the woods to an adventure, which makes it more engaging for kids.

It works for ours, anyway. When we plan a visit to a park, the first thing they ask is “Is it in the book?”

The grounds at Uniacke Estate Museum Park in Mount Uniacke are one of our favourite local places to explore. With a series of connected trails ranging from one to 2.5 kilometres each, it’s easy to tailor your outing to your kids’ stamina. Or your own, if you fade before they do.

Standards like Point Pleasant Park and Shubie Park in Dartmouth are also safe bets. You can’t really go wrong if your destination has at least a few of the following:

•Old buildings or ruins.

•Sticks.

•Places your kids can wander off the path and feel like explorers.

•Water and rocks. Never underestimate the allure of throwing rocks in water. My younger kids could do this for a half-hour, easy.

Playgrounds are another easy option, and if you’re looking for variety, the blog Halifax Plays is a good place to start. It hasn’t been updated in a while, but it has a thorough list of playgrounds around Halifax, often with pictures.

One of the best around is at Westmount School, not far from Halifax Shopping Centre. It’s an inclusive site with some equipment that’s accessible to kids with disabilities, and it also has a splash pad.

Or you can create your own adventure with some urban wandering. My kids like taking the ferry, a relatively cheap way to cruise Halifax Harbour, and there’s a playground within walking distance on either side. Exploring the downtown pedways — like tunnels, but above ground! — is also one of those routine-seeming activities that can turn into a novel secret mission with kids.

One tip: if you’re truly going for cheap, pack your own snacks. We rarely leave the house for any reason without food. It’s inevitable, at least in my family, that someone will abruptly become famished to the point where they cannot go on unless you feed them that instant.

It’s also wise to keep a water bottle and some sunscreen stashed in your vehicle. We often manage to forget something as we herd everyone out the door.

Finally, always quit while you’re ahead, especially if you’re planning a hike. The best outings are the ones that end before someone has a meltdown.